There are a number of consumer products that come with separate or independent scoops or dispensers as a part of the product. Some of these products include protein powder, flour, sugar, laundry or dishwasher detergent, infant formula, powdered drinks and milk, rice and many other dry consumer products. In many of these products, the scoop is either not included with the product or buried under the product. If it is buried under the product, then the consumer has to dig into the product in search of the scoop or use an old scoop, until the new one surfaces. In this instance, if it is a food product, it can be unsanitary and adulterate the product.
A number of innovators have tried to solve this problem. One product called a “Protein Powder Scoop Clip” can be found at Amazon.com (ASIN Product No.: B00B7SIPUQ) and is shown in Prior Art FIG. 1. The product container 100 and lid 110 are shown where a scoop clip 120 is adhesively and, in some instances, removably attached to the lid 110. The scoop clip 120 is used to hold the scoop 130.
The description states: “This product is a small plastic clip that holds a variety of scoops for protein powders, drink mix powders, supplement powders, rice, grains, etc. The clip measures 1 cm×1 cm×1 cm, it has an adhesive layer on the bottom, with which the user can adhere the product anywhere, ideally on the underside of the container lid, or anywhere else in the container. The purpose of this clip is to prevent the users hands from contaminating the contents of the container, helping the user more easily find the scoop, preventing it from being “buried” in the contents, and preventing the contents from getting on the user's hands. Clips are sold in packs of 5.” There are a number of problems with this product. First, it is self-described as a “choking hazard” for children under 3 years old. Second, it is utilized, as stated above, by being adhered to the inside of the container. It is likely that the powdered product will be drawn to the adhesive layer, as well, and will likely clog up around the base of the clip. Third, the problem of initially finding the scoop isn't solved by this design, because the clip is provided to be used with the scoop or dispenser included in the product. So, the consumer still has to dig around in the product to find the scoop, if it is not found on top of the powdered product. And finally, because the clip is held inside the container with a standard adhesive layer or tape, if the product gets hot during shipment or storage, the adhesive layer could breakdown and cause the clip to fall into the product.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,727,149 issued to Reid et al discloses a scoop and lid arrangement, wherein the scoop is designed to fit into or onto a ledge that is designed as part of the container opening. The lid then is designed to screw onto the container and over the scoop. A liner then separates the scoop from the product, until the product is opened. After that, the inventors state that the consumer “can simply place the scoop on top of the powder between uses”, and that “the problem of objectionable sinking down into the powder occurs only during shipment”. While this may be true, a consumer doesn't want to reach down into the powder with wet hands to pick up a scoop lying on top of the powder. Also, if you take the powder out of the cabinet and drop it on the floor, for example, then the scoop may very well become covered again. Finally, if the container is large—such as is the case with protein powders—as the powder is used, the consumer has to reach further down inside the container to retrieve it.
US Patent Publication 20140202917 to Erlebach discloses a scoop holder that is secured to an insert that is fit inside of the lid of a product container. This again requires a special fitting inside the lid that can catch powder between the insert and the lid itself. Also, anchoring the clip on the lid means that when the container is full, the scoop could create a problem by turning in the powder and causing drag on the lid when it is turned to open. When the lid is opened and pulled away from the container, the scoop may then have some product in it that will also be pulled away and possibly spilled. U.S. Pat. No. 8,590,732 solves part of the problem by securing the scoop in a clip up against the lid, but there still could be problems with powder collecting up in the scoop area, such that powder is spilled out of the lid when the container is opened. In addition, this patent also considers the option where the clip components would breakaway after the scoop is removed for the first time, which could cause the clip components to fall into the product and have to be retrieved. There are a number of patents that contemplate attaching the scoop inside the lid, including U.S. Pat. No. 8,469,223, U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,500, US Patent Publication No.: 20080156805, and none of these solutions solve the problems outlined herein.
To this end, it would be desirable to produce an integrated product scoop and dispenser holder arrangement that addresses the following goals: a) is integrated into the inside of the product container as the container is formed, so that there is no adhesive residue or chance of holder/clip breakaway, b) is located on the inside of the container near the top of the container, but is not located as a part of the lid, c) can be made of any type of material, as long as the material is capable of reliably holding a product scoop or dispenser, as it is used and replaced back onto the holder arrangement, d) is safe for children to use, and e) is provided in the product container when it is produced and purchased, such that the scoop or dispenser is secured and can be easily found when the product container is first opened.